Patent Application
20160027410
This disclosure relates to electromechanical systems and devices, and more particularly to electromechanical systems for implementing reflective display devices.
Electromechanical systems (EMS) include devices having electrical and mechanical elements, actuators, transducers, sensors, optical components such as mirrors and optical films, and electronics. EMS devices or elements can be manufactured at a variety of scales including, but not limited to, microscales and nanoscales. For example, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices can include structures having sizes ranging from about a micron to hundreds of microns or more. Nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) devices can include structures having sizes smaller than a micron including, for example, sizes smaller than several hundred nanometers. Electromechanical elements may be created using deposition, etching, lithography, and/or other micromachining processes that etch away parts of substrates and/or deposited material layers, or that add layers to form electrical and electromechanical devices.
One type of EMS device is called an interferometric modulator (IMOD). The term IMOD or interferometric light modulator refers to a device that selectively absorbs and/or reflects light using the principles of optical interferometric absorption. In some implementations, an IMOD display element may include a pair of conductive plates, one of which has a high reflectance and one is partially absorptive. The pair of conductive plates are capable of relative motion upon application of an appropriate electrical signal. For example, one plate may include a stationary layer deposited over, on or supported by a substrate and the other plate may include a partial absorptive membrane separated from the stationary layer by an air gap. The position of one plate in relation to another can change the spectrum of the reflected light from the IMOD display element. IMOD-based display devices have a wide range of applications, and are anticipated to be used in improving existing products and creating new products, especially those with display capabilities.
The systems, methods and devices of this disclosure each have several innovative aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for the desirable attributes disclosed herein.
One innovative aspect of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a display device. The display device may include a display and a control system. The control system may include a central processing unit and a display driver. The display driver may include a display driver clock and a display driver memory.
The display driver may be capable of receiving image data from the central processing unit. The image data may include image data for display updates. The display driver may be capable of storing received image data in the display driver memory and updating the display with stored image data at times indicated by the display driver clock. In some implementations, the image data may include data for updates of a clock image.
According to some implementations, the central processing unit may be capable of compressing image data. The display driver may be capable of receiving compressed image data from the central processing unit and storing the compressed image data in the display driver memory. The display driver may be capable of retrieving a portion of the compressed image data, e.g., at a time indicated by the display driver clock. The display driver may be capable of decompressing the portion of the compressed image data to produce a decompressed portion of image data and of updating the display with the decompressed portion of image data. According to some implementations, the display driver may be capable of performing the receiving, storing and updating while the central processing unit is switched off or operating in a sleep mode.
In some examples, the display driver may be capable of converting the received image data from a first image data type to a second image data type suitable for controlling the display. The display driver may be capable of storing the second image data type in the display driver memory.
According to some implementations, the display driver may include an image update engine capable of receiving clock signals from the display driver clock and of selecting stored image data for updating the display based, at least in part, on the clock signals. The image update engine may be capable of causing the selected image data to be provided by the display driver memory to the display. In some examples, the display driver may include a graphics processing unit capable of generating image data for updates of the display.
In some examples, the control system may include a processor and an image source module capable of sending image source module image data to the processor. The image source module may include a receiver, a transceiver and/or a transmitter. In some examples, the control system may include one or more general purpose single- or multi-chip processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or combinations thereof. The display device may include an input device capable of receiving input data and of communicating the input data to the control system.
According to some implementations, the display may include interferometric modulator (IMOD) pixels. However, in other implementations the display may include other types of pixels.
Some or all of the methods described herein may be performed by one or more devices according to instructions (e.g., software) stored on non-transitory media. Such non-transitory media may include memory devices such as those described herein, may include but not limited to random access memory (RAM) devices, read-only memory (ROM) devices, etc. Accordingly, other innovative aspects of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in one or more non-transitory media having software stored thereon.
In some examples, the software may include instructions for controlling a display driver for receiving image data from a central processing unit. The image data may include image data for display updates. The image data may, for example, include data for updates of a clock image. The software may include instructions for controlling a display driver for storing received image data in a display driver memory and for updating a display with stored image data at times indicated by a display driver clock. According to some implementations, the software may include instructions for controlling the display driver to control the display driver to perform the receiving, storing and updating while the central processing unit is switched off or operating in a sleep mode.
In some implementations, the software may include instructions for controlling the display driver for receiving compressed image data from the central processing unit and for storing the compressed image data in the display driver memory. The software may include instructions for controlling the display driver for retrieving a portion of the compressed image data at a time indicated by the display driver clock, for decompressing the portion of the compressed image data to produce a decompressed portion of image data and for updating the display with the decompressed portion of image data.
In some examples, the software may include instructions for controlling the display driver for converting the received image data from a first image data type to a second image data type suitable for controlling the display and for storing the second image data type in the display driver memory. In some implementations, the software may include instructions for controlling the display driver for receiving clock signals from the display driver clock, for selecting stored image data for updating the display based, at least in part, on the clock signals and for causing the selected image data to be provided by the memory to the display.
According to some implementations, the software may include instructions for controlling the display driver to generate image data for updates of the display. In some examples, the software may include instructions for controlling the display driver to generate the image data while a central processing unit of the display device is switched off or operating in a sleep mode. In some implementations, the image data may include data for updates of a clock image. In some examples, the software may include instructions for controlling the display driver for dithering image data.
Still other innovative aspects of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented in a display device, which may include a display and a control system. The control system may include one or more general purpose single- or multi-chip processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistor logic, discrete hardware be components, or combinations thereof. The control system may include a central processing unit and a display driver. In some examples, the display driver may include a display driver clock, a display driver memory and a graphics processing unit.
In some implementations, the display driver may be capable of generating, via the graphics processing unit, image data for updates of the display and of storing the image data in the display driver memory. The image data may, for example, include data for updates of a clock image. The display driver may be capable of updating the display with stored image data at times indicated by the display driver clock. In some examples, the display driver may be capable of performing the generating, storing and updating while the central processing unit is switched off or operating in a sleep mode.
According to some implementations, the display driver may include an image update engine capable of receiving clock signals from the display driver clock and of selecting stored image data for updating the display based, at least in part, on the clock signals. The image update engine may be capable of causing the selected image data to be provided by the memory to the display. In some examples, the graphics processing unit may be capable of dithering image data.
In some implementations, the display may include interferometric modulator (IMOD) pixels. However, other implementations may include a different type of display.
Details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described in this disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages will become apparent from the description, the drawings and the claims. Note that the relative dimensions of the following figures may not be drawn to scale.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.
The following description is directed to certain implementations for the purposes of describing the innovative aspects of this disclosure. However, a person having ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the teachings herein can be applied in a multitude of different ways. The described implementations may be implemented in any device, apparatus, or system that can be configured to display an image, whether in motion (such as video) or stationary (such as still images), and whether textual, graphical or pictorial. More particularly, it is contemplated that the described implementations may be included in or associated with a variety of electronic devices such as, but not limited to: mobile telephones, multimedia Internet enabled cellular telephones, mobile television receivers, wireless devices, smartphones, Bluetooth® devices, personal data assistants (PDAs), wireless electronic mail receivers, hand-held or portable computers, netbooks, notebooks, smartbooks, tablets, printers, copiers, scanners, facsimile devices, global positioning system (GPS) receivers/navigators, cameras, digital media players (such as MP3 players), camcorders, game consoles, wrist watches, clocks, calculators, television monitors, flat panel displays, electronic reading devices (e.g., e-readers), computer monitors, auto displays (including odometer and speedometer displays, etc.), cockpit controls and/or displays, camera view displays (such as the display of a rear view camera in a vehicle), electronic photographs, electronic billboards or signs, projectors, architectural structures, microwaves, refrigerators, stereo systems, cassette recorders or players, DVD players, CD players, VCRs, radios, portable memory chips, washers, dryers, washer/dryers, parking meters, packaging (such as in electromechanical systems (EMS) applications including microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) applications, as well as non-EMS applications), aesthetic structures (such as display of images on a piece of jewelry or clothing) and a variety of EMS devices. The teachings herein also can be used in non-display applications such as, but not limited to, electronic switching devices, radio frequency filters, sensors, accelerometers, gyroscopes, motion-sensing devices, magnetometers, inertial components for consumer electronics, parts of consumer electronics products, varactors, liquid crystal devices, electrophoretic devices, drive schemes, manufacturing processes and electronic test equipment. Thus, the teachings are not intended to be limited to the implementations depicted solely in the Figures, but instead have wide applicability as will be readily apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art.
Various display device implementations disclosed herein include display drivers with enhanced capabilities. For example, in some implementations a display driver may be capable of updating a display while a central processing unit (CPU) is switched off or operating in a sleep mode. Some such display drivers may include a display driver clock and a display driver memory. The display driver may be capable of receiving image data from the CPU, including image data for display updates, and storing received image data in the display driver memory. The display driver may be capable of updating the display with stored image data at times indicated by the display driver clock. Some display drivers may include a graphics processing unit (GPU) capable of generating image data for updates of the display. In some such implementations, the graphics processing unit may be capable of dithering image data.
Particular implementations of the subject matter described in this disclosure can be implemented to realize one or more of the following potential advantages. Some such implementations may provide reduced power consumption, as compared to that of prior display devices. Including a display driver such as disclosed herein can reduce the power demands of a display device CPU. A display device having a low-power display, such as an IMOD-based display, already has potential advantages in terms of low power consumption by the display. Accordingly, a display device that includes both a display driver such as that disclosed herein and a low-power display, such as an IMOD-based display, may provide significant decreases in power consumption. Such advantages may apply even for “always on” use cases of a display device, such as an IMOD-based display of a smart watch or an IMOD-based secondary display, e.g., on the back of a smart phone.
An example of a suitable EMS or MEMS device or apparatus, to which the described implementations may apply, is a reflective display device. Reflective display devices can incorporate interferometric modulator (IMOD) display elements that can be implemented to selectively absorb and/or reflect light incident thereon using principles of optical interference. IMOD display elements can include a partial optical absorber, a reflector that is movable with respect to the absorber, and an optical resonant cavity defined between the absorber and the reflector. In some implementations, the reflector can be moved to two or more different positions, which can change the size of the optical resonant cavity and thereby affect the reflectance of the IMOD. The reflectance spectra of IMOD display elements can create fairly broad spectral bands that can be shifted across the visible wavelengths to generate different colors. The position of the spectral band can be adjusted by changing the thickness of the optical resonant cavity. One way of changing the optical resonant cavity is by changing the position of the reflector with respect to the absorber.
The IMOD display device can include an array of IMOD display elements which may be arranged in rows and columns. Each display element in the array can include at least a pair of reflective and semi-reflective layers, such as a movable reflective layer (i.e., a movable layer, also referred to as a mechanical layer) and a fixed partially reflective layer (i.e., a stationary layer), positioned at a variable and controllable distance from each other to form an air gap (also referred to as an optical gap, cavity or optical resonant cavity). The movable reflective layer may be moved between at least two positions. For example, in a first position, i.e., a relaxed position, the movable reflective layer can be positioned at a distance from the fixed partially reflective layer. In a second position, i.e., an actuated position, the movable reflective layer can be positioned more closely to the partially reflective layer. Incident light that reflects from the two layers can interfere constructively and/or destructively depending on the position of the movable reflective layer and the wavelength(s) of the incident light, producing either an overall reflective or non-reflective state for each display element. In some implementations, the display element may be in a reflective state when unactuated, reflecting light within the visible spectrum, and may be in a dark state when actuated, absorbing and/or destructively interfering light within the visible range. In some other implementations, however, an IMOD display element may be in a dark state when unactuated, and in a reflective state when actuated. In some implementations, the introduction of an applied voltage can drive the display elements to change states. In some other implementations, an applied charge can drive the display elements to change states.
The depicted portion of the array in
In
The optical stack 16 can include a single layer or several layers. The layer(s) can include one or more of an electrode layer, a partially reflective and partially transmissive layer, and a transparent dielectric layer. In some implementations, the optical stack 16 is electrically conductive, partially transparent and partially reflective, and may be fabricated, for example, by depositing one or more of the above layers onto a transparent substrate 20. The electrode layer can be formed from a variety of materials, such as various metals, for example indium tin oxide (ITO). The partially reflective layer can be formed from a variety of materials that are partially reflective, such as various metals (e.g., chromium and/or molybdenum), semiconductors, and dielectrics. The partially reflective layer can be formed of one or more layers of materials, and each of the layers can be formed of a single material or a combination of materials. In some implementations, certain portions of the optical stack 16 can include a single semi-transparent thickness of metal or semiconductor which serves as both a partial optical absorber and electrical conductor, while different, electrically more conductive layers or portions (e.g., of the optical stack 16 or of other structures of the display element) can serve to bus signals between IMOD display elements. The optical stack 16 also can include one or more insulating or dielectric layers covering one or more conductive layers or an electrically conductive/partially absorptive layer.
In some implementations, at least some of the layer(s) of the optical stack 16 can be patterned into parallel strips, and may form row electrodes in a display device as described further below. As will be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art, the term “patterned” is used herein to refer to masking as well as etching processes. In some implementations, a highly conductive and reflective material, such as aluminum (Al), may be used for the movable reflective layer 14, and these strips may form column electrodes in a display device. The movable reflective layer 14 may be formed as a series of parallel strips of a deposited metal layer or layers (orthogonal to the row electrodes of the optical stack 16) to form columns deposited on top of supports, such as the illustrated posts 18, and an intervening sacrificial material located between the posts 18. When the sacrificial material is etched away, a defined gap 19, or optical cavity, can be formed between the movable reflective layer 14 and the optical stack 16. In some implementations, the spacing between posts 18 may be approximately 1-1000 μm, while the gap 19 may be approximately less than 10,000 Angstroms (Å).
In some implementations, each IMOD display element, whether in the actuated or relaxed state, can be considered as a capacitor formed by the fixed and moving reflective layers. When no voltage is applied, the movable reflective layer 14 remains in a mechanically relaxed state, as illustrated by the display element 12 on the left in
The processor 21 can be configured to communicate with an array driver 22. The array driver 22 can include a row driver circuit 24 and a column driver circuit 26 that provide signals to, for example a display array or panel 30. The cross section of the IMOD display device illustrated in
In
The process 80 continues at block 84 with the formation of a sacrificial layer 25 over the optical stack 16. Because the sacrificial layer 25 is later removed (see block 90) to form the cavity 19, the sacrificial layer 25 is not shown in the resulting IMOD display elements.
The process 80 continues at block 86 with the formation of a support structure such as a support post 18. The formation of the support post 18 may include patterning the sacrificial layer 25 to form a support structure aperture, then depositing a material (such as a polymer or an inorganic material, like silicon oxide) into the aperture to form the support post 18, using a deposition method such as PVD, PECVD, thermal CVD, or spin-coating. In some implementations, the support structure aperture formed in the sacrificial layer can extend through both the sacrificial layer 25 and the optical stack 16 to the underlying substrate 20, so that the lower end of the support post 18 contacts the substrate 20. Alternatively, as depicted in
The process 80 continues at block 88 with the formation of a movable reflective layer or membrane such as the movable reflective layer 14 illustrated in
The process 80 continues at block 90 with the formation of a cavity 19. The cavity 19 may be formed by exposing the sacrificial material 25 (deposited at block 84) to an etchant. For example, an etchable sacrificial material such as Mo or amorphous Si may be removed by dry chemical etching by exposing the sacrificial layer 25 to a gaseous or vaporous etchant, such as vapors derived from solid XeF2 for a period of time that is effective to remove the desired amount of material. The sacrificial material is typically selectively removed relative to the structures surrounding the cavity 19. Other etching methods, such as wet etching and/or plasma etching, also may be used. Since the sacrificial layer 25 is removed during block 90, the movable reflective layer 14 is typically movable after this stage. After removal of the sacrificial material 25, the resulting fully or partially fabricated IMOD display element may be referred to herein as a “released” IMOD.
In some implementations, the packaging of an EMS component or device, such as an IMOD-based display, can include a backplate (alternatively referred to as a backplane, back glass or recessed glass) which can be configured to protect the EMS components from damage (such as from mechanical interference or potentially damaging substances). The backplate also can provide structural support for a wide range of components, including but not limited to driver circuitry, processors, memory, interconnect arrays, vapor barriers, product housing, and the like. In some implementations, the use of a backplate can facilitate integration of components and thereby reduce the volume, weight, and/or manufacturing costs of a portable electronic device.
In an MS-IMOD, a pixel's reflective color may be varied by changing the gap height between an absorber stack and a mirror stack. In
In some implementations, the absorber layer may be formed of a partially absorptive and partially reflective layer. The absorber layer may be part of an absorber stack that includes other layers, such as one or more dielectric layers, an electrode layer, etc. According to some such implementations, the absorber stack may include a dielectric layer, a metal layer and a passivation layer. In some implementations, the dielectric layer may be formed of SiO2, SiON, MgF2, Al2O3 and/or other dielectric materials. In some implementations, the metal layer may be formed of Cr, W, Ni, V, Ti, Rh, Pt, Ge, Co and/or MoCr. In some implementations, the passivation layer may include Al2O3 or another dielectric material.
The mirror may, for example, be formed of one or more reflective metals such as Al, silver, etc. In some MS-IMODs, the mirror may be part of a mirror stack that includes other layers, such as one or more dielectric layers. Such dielectric layers may be formed of TiO2, Si3N4, ZrO2, Ta2O5, Sb2O3, HfO2, Sc2O3, In2O3, Sn:In2O3, SiO2, SiON, MgF2, Al2O3, HfF4, YbF3, Na3AlF6 and/or other dielectric materials.
In
An incident wave having a wavelength λ will interfere with its own reflection from the mirror stack 505 to create a standing wave with local peaks and nulls. The first null is λ/2 from the mirror and subsequent nulls are located at λ/2 intervals. For that wavelength, a thin absorber layer placed at one of the null positions will absorb very little energy.
Referring first to
In
In
Mobile display devices, such as smart watches, smartphones and tablets, are powered by batteries that are limited in size and capacity. As usage increases, such display devices become more converged and data-driven with new usage models, and the burden on the battery life increases. The display is generally a major part of this power consumption in a mobile display device. However, the power consumption of system resources, primarily the power consumption of the central processing unit (CPU) for providing high-resolution displays, also can reduce battery life significantly.
The system architectural solution for providing data to a mobile display is typically a continuous process. System hardware resources such as the application processor, the graphics processing unit (GPU), display controller and memory components are normally powered continuously to provide data in the system-to-display pipeline. In a smartphone, the system typically accounts for 45% to 50% of the total device energy consumption. Reducing this percentage of energy consumption could have a considerable effect on battery life.
Some implementations disclosed herein can potentially achieve reduced power consumption by adding functionality to a display driver to allow a CPU to remain inactive during predictable updates of a display, including but not limited to updates of a clock image. In some implementations, a CPU may provide image data (which may be compressed image data) for future updates of, e.g., a clock image to the display driver to be made while the CPU is switched off or operating in a “sleep” mode.
The control system 605 may be capable of performing, at least in part, the methods disclosed herein. The control system 605 may include one or more general purpose single- or multi-chip processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or combinations thereof.
In this implementation, the control system 605 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 610 and a display driver 615. In this example, the display driver 615 includes a display driver clock 620 and a display driver memory 625. The display driver clock 620 may be implemented with application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) components, such as phase locked loops (PLLs). The display driver memory 625 may include one or more non-transitory media, such as one or more random access memory (RAM) devices, one or more read-only memory (ROM) devices, etc.
In this example, block 705 involves receiving image data from a central processing unit, such as the CPU 610 of
According to this implementation, block 705 involves receiving compressed image data from the central processing unit. The image data includes image data for display updates. Here, block 710 involves storing the compressed image data in the display driver memory. Receiving and storing compressed image data may be advantageous. For example, as compared to uncompressed image data, more frames of compressed image data may be stored in a given size of display driver memory. By receiving and storing additional frames of image data for display updates, a CPU may potentially remain powered off or in “sleep” mode for a relatively longer period of time, resulting in potential energy savings and extended battery life.
In this example, block 712 involves retrieving a portion of the compressed image data at a time indicated by the display driver clock. For example, the retrieved portion may correspond with an update of a smart watch display that is updated once per minute. In other examples, block 712 may involve retrieving a portion of the compressed image data according to other types of input, such as input from a sensor. Accordingly, in this example the image data are decompressed before the image data are displayed. Accordingly, block 714 involves decompressing the portion of the compressed image data to produce a decompressed portion of image data. Here, block 715 involves updating the display with the decompressed portion of image data.
Some implementations may involve receiving image data for other types of predictable updates, such as image data for a screen rotation that is triggered by an inertial sensor. For example, in some implementations a CPU may provide image data for clock updates that correspond to more than one orientation of a display, such as a “landscape” orientation and a “portrait” orientation. Such image data may be selected and displayed according to input from an inertial sensor.
In this example, block 805 involves generating image data for display updates. Here, block 810 involves compressing the image data and block 812 involves providing compressed image data to a display driver. Accordingly, block 812 may be thought of as the CPU-side counterpart of block 705 of
In this example, the CPU powers off or enters a sleep mode in block 814. In some implementations, the CPU may subsequently be switched on or awakened from sleep mode according to user input, according to sensor input (e.g., according to gyroscope and/or accelerometer input indicating that the display device is being moved), according to input from a control system clock and/or according to other input (such as a signal from the display driver indicating a need for image data for subsequent display updates). For example, the control system clock may re-start the CPU in time for the CPU to generate image data for subsequent display updates, compress the image data and provide compressed image data to the display driver when image data for subsequent display updates are needed.
In some implementations, a display driver may be capable of generating image data for updates of a corresponding display. The display driver may, for example, include a graphics processing unit. The display driver may or may not receive image data for display updates from the CPU, depending on the particular implementation.
In this example, block 1005 involves generating, by the graphics processing unit, image data for updates of the display. The image data may, for example, include data for updates of a clock image. Here, block 1010 involves storing the image data in a display driver memory. In this implementation, block 1015 involves updating the display with stored image data at times indicated by a display driver clock. In alternative implementations, block 1015 may involve updating the display with stored image data at times indicated by a sensor. The display driver may be capable of performing the generating, storing and updating processes of blocks 1005-1015 while the CPU is switched off or operating in a sleep mode.
In some implementations, method 1000 may involve compressing the image data generated in block 1005 prior to storing the image data in block 1010. Similarly, method 1000 may involve retrieving a compression portion of the stored image data, decompressing the portion of image data and updating the display with the decompressed portion of image data. However, data compression may be relatively less important for implementations wherein a display driver is capable of generating image data for display updates, as compared to implementations wherein the display driver receives image data for display updates from the CPU.
In some implementations, the GPU 905 may be capable of dithering image data. Such functionality may be advantageous, for example, if pixels of the display 30 are capable of providing relatively few colors and/or greyscale states. The appearance of images displayed on some IMOD-based displays, for example, may benefit from dithering. For implementations in which the GPU 905 is capable of dithering image data, at least some dithering may be performed by the display driver 615. In some such implementations, all dithering may be performed by the display driver 615 instead of by the CPU 610. The dithering may be performed by the GPU 905 either during normal operation or while the CPU 610 is off or in a “sleep” mode. According to some implementations, the GPU 905 may be capable of rendering directly in the colors available in the display. For example, some IMOD-based displays may be capable of providing fewer colors than, e.g., liquid crystal displays. In some implementations, the GPU 905 may be capable of rendering in the colors available from a particular type of IMOD (e.g., an MS-IMOD), arrays of which are provided in the display, is capable of producing.
However, in the example of
In this example, the image update engine 1110 is capable of causing stored image data for updates to be provided by the display driver memory 625 to the display 30 via the driver/display interface 1115.
In this implementation, the display driver's GPU 905 is capable of determining when an image for updating the display 30 should be generated, according to input from the display driver clock 620, and of generating the image. In some implementations, the GPU 905 may be capable of determining when an image for updating the display 30 should be generated according to other input, such as input from a sensor. In some implementations, the image may be stored in the display driver memory 625, whereas in other implementations the GPU 905 may provide the image to the display 30, via the driver/display interface 1115. In some implementations, the GPU 905 may be capable of dithering image data. The image update engine 1110 may be capable of determining when stored image data for updates should be provided by the display driver memory 625 to the display 30 according to input from the display driver clock 620, according to input from a sensor, etc.
In this example, block 1205 involves receiving clock signals from a display driver clock, such as the display driver clock 620. Here, block 1210 involves selecting stored image data for updating the display based, at least in part, on the clock signals. In this example, block 1215 involves causing the selected image data to be provided by the memory to the display. In some implementations, the image update engine 1110 may be capable of determining when an image for updating the display 30 should be selected and provided to the display according to other input, such as input from a sensor.
The display device 40 includes a housing 41, a display 30, an antenna 43, a speaker 45, an input device 48 and a microphone 46. The housing 41 can be formed from any of a variety of manufacturing processes, including injection molding, and vacuum forming. In addition, the housing 41 may be made from any of a variety of materials, including, but not limited to: plastic, metal, glass, rubber and ceramic, or a combination thereof. The housing 41 can include removable portions (not shown) that may be interchanged with other removable portions of different color, or containing different logos, pictures, or symbols.
The display 30 may be any of a variety of displays, including a bi-stable or analog display, as described herein. The display 30 also can be configured to include a flat-panel display, such as plasma, EL, OLED, STN LCD, or TFT LCD, or a non-flat-panel display, such as a CRT or other tube device. In addition, the display 30 can include an IMOD-based display. The display may include IMODs such as those described herein.
The components of the display device 40 are schematically illustrated in
The network interface 27 includes the antenna 43 and the transceiver 47 so that the display device 40 can communicate with one or more devices over a network. The network interface 27 also may have some processing capabilities to relieve, for example, data processing requirements of the processor 21. The antenna 43 can transmit and receive signals. In some implementations, the antenna 43 transmits and receives RF signals according to the IEEE 16.11 standard, including IEEE 16.11(a), (b), or (g), or the IEEE 802.11 standard, including IEEE 802.11a, b, g, n, and further implementations thereof. In some other implementations, the antenna 43 transmits and receives RF signals according to the Bluetooth® standard. In the case of a cellular telephone, the antenna 43 can be designed to receive code division multiple access (CDMA), frequency division multiple access (FDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), GSM/General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA), Wideband-CDMA (W-CDMA), Evolution Data Optimized (EV-DO), 1×EV-DO, EV-DO Rev A, EV-DO Rev B, High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA), Evolved High Speed Packet Access (HSPA+), Long Term Evolution (LTE), AMPS, or other known signals that are used to communicate within a wireless network, such as a system utilizing 3G, 4G or 5G technology. The transceiver 47 can pre-process the signals received from the antenna 43 so that they may be received by and further manipulated by the processor 21. The transceiver 47 also can process signals received from the processor 21 so that they may be transmitted from the display device 40 via the antenna 43.
In some implementations, the transceiver 47 can be replaced by a receiver. In addition, in some implementations, the network interface 27 can be replaced by an image source, which can store or generate image data to be sent to the processor 21. The processor 21 can control the overall operation of the display device 40. The processor 21 receives data, such as compressed image data from the network interface 27 or an image source, and processes the data into raw image data or into a format that can be readily processed into raw image data. The processor 21 can send the processed data to the driver controller 29 or to the frame buffer 28 for storage. Raw data typically refers to the information that identifies the image characteristics at each location within an image. For example, such image characteristics can include color, saturation and gray-scale level.
The processor 21 can include a microcontroller, CPU, or logic unit to control operation of the display device 40. The conditioning hardware 52 may include amplifiers and filters for transmitting signals to the speaker 45, and for receiving signals from the microphone 46. The conditioning hardware 52 may be discrete components within the display device 40, or may be incorporated within the processor 21 or other components.
The driver controller 29 can take the raw image data generated by the processor 21 either directly from the processor 21 or from the frame buffer 28 and can re-format the raw image data appropriately for high speed transmission to the array driver 22. In some implementations, the driver controller 29 can re-format the raw image data into a data flow having a raster-like format, such that it has a time order suitable for scanning across the display array 30. Then the driver controller 29 sends the formatted information to the array driver 22. Although a driver controller 29, such as an LCD controller, is often associated with the system processor 21 as a stand-alone Integrated Circuit (IC), such controllers may be implemented in many ways. For example, controllers may be embedded in the processor 21 as hardware, embedded in the processor 21 as software, or fully integrated in hardware with the array driver 22.
The array driver 22 can receive the formatted information from the driver controller 29 and can re-format the video data into a parallel set of waveforms that are applied many times per second to the hundreds, and sometimes thousands (or more), of leads coming from the display's x-y matrix of display elements.
In some implementations, the driver controller 29, the array driver 22, and the display array 30 are appropriate for any of the types of displays described herein. For example, the driver controller 29 can be a conventional display controller or a bi-stable display controller (such as an IMOD display element controller). Additionally, the array driver 22 can be a conventional driver or a bi-stable display driver (such as an IMOD display element driver). Moreover, the display array 30 can be a conventional display array or a bi-stable display array (such as a display including an array of IMOD display elements). In some implementations, the driver controller 29 can be integrated with the array driver 22. Such an implementation can be useful in highly integrated systems, for example, mobile phones, portable-electronic devices, watches or small-area displays.
In some implementations, the input device 48 can be configured to allow, for example, a user to control the operation of the display device 40. The input device 48 can include a keypad, such as a QWERTY keyboard or a telephone keypad, a button, a switch, a rocker, a touch-sensitive screen, a touch-sensitive screen integrated with the display array 30, or a pressure- or heat-sensitive membrane. The microphone 46 can be configured as an input device for the display device 40. In some implementations, voice commands through the microphone 46 can be used for controlling operations of the display device 40.
The power supply 50 can include a variety of energy storage devices. For example, the power supply 50 can be a rechargeable battery, such as a nickel-cadmium battery or a lithium-ion battery. In implementations using a rechargeable battery, the rechargeable battery may be chargeable using power coming from, for example, a wall socket or a photovoltaic device or array. Alternatively, the rechargeable battery can be wirelessly chargeable. The power supply 50 also can be a renewable energy source, a capacitor, or a solar cell, including a plastic solar cell or solar-cell paint. The power supply 50 also can be configured to receive power from a wall outlet.
In some implementations, control programmability resides in the driver controller 29 which can be located in several places in the electronic display system. In some other implementations, control programmability resides in the array driver 22. The above-described optimization may be implemented in any number of hardware and/or software components and in various configurations.
As used herein, a phrase referring to “at least one of” a list of items refers to any combination of those items, including single members. As an example, “at least one of: a, b, or c” is intended to cover: a, b, c, a−b, a−c, b−c, and a−b−c.
The various illustrative logics, logical blocks, modules, circuits and algorithm steps described in connection with the implementations disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. The interchangeability of hardware and software has been described generally, in terms of functionality, and illustrated in the various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits and steps described above. Whether such functionality is implemented in hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system.
The hardware and data processing apparatus used to implement the various illustrative logics, logical blocks, modules and circuits described in connection with the aspects disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose single- or multi-chip processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or, any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor also may be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. In some implementations, particular steps and methods may be performed by circuitry that is specific to a given function.
In one or more aspects, the functions described may be implemented in hardware, digital electronic circuitry, computer software, firmware, including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents thereof, or in any combination thereof. Implementations of the subject matter described in this specification also can be implemented as one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions, encoded on a computer storage media for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus.
If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. The steps of a method or algorithm disclosed herein may be implemented in a processor-executable software module which may reside on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that can be enabled to transfer a computer program from one place to another. A storage media may be any available media that may be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that may be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that may be accessed by a computer. Also, any connection can be properly termed a computer-readable medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk, and blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above also may be included within the scope of computer-readable media. Additionally, the operations of a method or algorithm may reside as one or any combination or set of codes and instructions on a machine readable medium and computer-readable medium, which may be incorporated into a computer program product.
Various modifications to the implementations described in this disclosure may be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other implementations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the implementations shown herein, but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with this disclosure, the principles and the novel features disclosed herein. Additionally, a person having ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate, the terms “upper” and “lower” are sometimes used for ease of describing the figures, and indicate relative positions corresponding to the orientation of the figure on a properly oriented page, and may not reflect the proper orientation of, e.g., an IMOD display element as implemented.
Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate implementations also can be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation also can be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.
Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, a person having ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that such operations need not be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. Further, the drawings may schematically depict one more example processes in the form of a flow diagram. However, other operations that are not depicted can be incorporated in the example processes that are schematically illustrated. For example, one or more additional operations can be performed before, after, simultaneously, or between any of the illustrated operations. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various system components in the implementations described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single software product or packaged into multiple software products. Additionally, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. In some cases, the actions recited in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve desirable results.
